Carl w



, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL XV.' VEISS, OF BROOKLYN, vNEV YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES KRUSE, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y.

TH ERMO-DYNAMIC MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 419,805, dated January 21, 1890. Application filed May 6, 1889. Serial No. 309,726. (No model.)

To all whom zv' may conce-7%:

Be it known that I, CARL W. WEIss, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thernio-Dynamic Motors; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being 'had to the accom-4 panyin g drawings, and to the letters of referro ence marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of heatmotors in which the motive power is obtained by the alternate heating and cooling I5 of the working-fluid in confinement under a higher pressure than that of the atmosphere. Its object is to retain and utilize by means 0f a simple apparatus the heat which is usually carried away and lost in this class of zo motors by the prevalent systems of condensation, and, in connection with an improved construction of the machine, thereby greatly increase its efficiency. f

It consists in a novel organization of the 1 25 motor, as hereinafterdescribed and claimed,

whereby the heater or furnace is located above the cooler or condensing space and the air and vapors necessary to support combustion in the heating apparatus are made to 3o. iiow over the encircling-walls of the condens- 'ing-cha1nber and thereby absorb and carry back to the furnace or combustion-chainber the heat set free in the condensing process.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis 3 5 a central vertical section of my improved thcrmo-dynamic motor; Fig. 2, a detailed Vertical section in line :rx of Fig. l, illustrat-A ing the relative arrangement of the working and displacing cranks and the form of the 4o working-piston.

The motor is mounted upon a hollow stand A, in the upper portion of which is located the cylinder B for the workingepiston O, and the lower portion of which is enlarged somewhat to form a chamber or chest A for the double crank upon the end of the main shaft F of the motor. This main shaft F is supported in an extended bearing formed in a long sleeve G, which is fitted laterally into 5o the wall of the crank-chest A', so as form a tight joint therewith, and which projects through said wall into the crank-chest. The inner end of the sleeve iits against a shoulder c on the crankshaft, and a packing-piece, in the form of a hardened-steel washer d, is interposed, having its annular face next to the crank either beveled or, by preference, rounded to correspond with the segment of a sphere `having the shaft as its axis and made to fit into a counterpart recess in the proxi- 6o mate face of the shoulder con the shaft, as shown in Fig. 1. The outer end of the bearingsleeve G is preferably tapered and longitudinally splitand threaded to receive an internally tapered nut G', which when 65 screwed upon the tapered end of the sleeve will operate to cause it to contract upon the shaft and thereby take up any looseness in the bearing occurring from Wear, A iiywheel H, fitted upon the outer end of the 7o shaft F outside of the nut G to bear against it, is formed with an annular iiange H upon its inner face to project coneentrically over the bearing and serve as a band-pulley.v y

The stand A and working-cylinder B are preferably cast of iron or steel in one piece, so as to be jointless, and the open bottom of the stand is closed by a suitable base-plate A2, hanged and bolted thereon with a tight joint. This casting A B is galvanized or japanned, So or otherwise treated so as to completely close the pores of the metal to render the same impervious to air or gases, and thereby permit the engine to be worked under a yery high internal pressure without leakage.

A long workingcylinder I, of thin copper, steel, or other metal which is a good conductor of heat and .is capable of resisting high pressure,`is fitted to the upper end of the piston-cylinder B with a tight joint, the 9o two cylinders being of the same interior diameter, so that the inner periphery of the one shall form an unbroken extension of the other. The length of this working-cylinderl is preferably made about'ten times greater 95 than its diameter to insure sufficient cooling surface. n

A venttube I', closed by a cock I2, may be inserted in the upper end of the cylinder I,

for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth. 10o

The working-piston C is preferably formed with a long bearing-surface and is recessed at its lower end to form 'an extension of the space in the crank-chest A. An annular pocket C is formed about its inn er periphery near its lower end, and from said pocket a series of apertures e e are pierced through to its outer periphery, so that a lubricating-fluid introduced into the pocket mayflow out therefrom upon the bearing-surface of the piston. It is coupled to the inner arm K of the double crank on the end of the main shaftF by means of a pitman L, pivoted at its lower end to the crank and whose upper end is attached to one end of a divided collar L, fitted within aV central recess in the head to turn upon a transverse pin L2, extending diametrically through the piston and fixed therein. By this means the connecting-rod or pitman L is made to extend parallel with the axis of the piston at one side thereof, and thereby permit a rod M to be carried centrally in the line of said axis through the head of the piston C and through apertures in the intersecting pin L2 and divided collar L. The apertures in the collar L are enlarged to flare outwardly at each end, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to permit the collar to oscillate freely on the pin L2 without interference with the rod M. The upper end of said rod M is connected to a displacing-piston N, fitted to reciprocate within the cylinder I. This displacing-piston is constructed of a circular base-plate N to which is attached a cylindrical shell N2, of thin sheet metal, of a diameter to permit its free movement in the working-chamber and so extended as to iill the entire length thereof beyond the space required for a full stroke. The piston is preferably lined interiorly with a layer NLl of asbestus. Its outer end is preferably made of a convex or hemispherical form to correspond with the counterpart outer end of the cylinder I, against which it is carried in its movement. It is'guided and held concentrically within the cylinder by means of a pin J, fixed axially at the outer end of the cylinder to project inwardly into a recess or socket N2 formed to receive it in the corresponding end of the piston.

A minute aperture 7L may be pierced in the Wall of the piston N to permit an equalization of the pressure inside and outside thereof, so that it may be made of very thin metal without danger of collapsing, care being taken that said aperture shall be so minute as not to interfere with the working of the machine by permitting a free passage of the work. I

ing-fluid through it. v y

The piston-rod M in passing through the piston U is provided with an extended bearing therein. It is pivoted at its outer end to a connecting-rod M', by which it is coupled to the end of the second crank-arm K on the shaft F. This second arm is fixed to the end of the rst at an angle therewith of about ninety degrees, more or less, as shown in Fig. 2, so that when the working-piston C is at its lowest point the displacingpiston N shall be moving outwardly, as shown in Fig. l.

The connected cylinders B and I are inclosed by a concentric jacket P of larger diameter, which is fitted upon a series of radiallugs p p, formed at the juncture of the cylinder B with the standv A, the open spaces or intervals between the lugs serving as passages for the free inflow of air into the concentric space or annular air-conduit D between the cylinders and jacket, as indicated by the arrows in Figi. The outer or upper end of the jacket is preferably contracted by means of an annular cap P, as shown in Fig. l, to serve as an exhaust-flue for said concentric space, and said flue may be connected with a suitable chimney. The lower end of the jacket is encircled by aband P2, having a continuous groove or recess upon its inner side, forming an annular chamber P3, which is made to communicate freely with the concentric space inclosed by the jacket by means of a series of minute orifices t f t pierced through the jacket around its entire circumference.

A pipe P4 is fitted to the band P2 to communicate withV the annular chamber P3 for the supply thereto of fuel-gas.

A perforated diaphragm W, preferably of wire-gauze, is inserted between the jacket P and cylinder I at a point about opposite the middle of the length of the displacing-piston N when said piston is at the end of its outward stroke. The rvinner face l of the jacket above said diaphragm is lined withfasbestus,

the lined space serving as a combustion chainber or furnace for the outer heated end of the cylinder I.

The crank-chest A is charged with air by means of an air-pump, preferably consisting of a plunger-rod Q, attached to the lower end `of the working-piston C, to play loosely in a cylinder R,screwed into the base-plate A2 of the crank-chest A. Thelower end of the rod is fitted in the customary manner with acupshaped packing-ring Q', whose upper free margin will expand as the rod rises and contract as it descends, and a conical check-valve S is seated in a perforated plug S', which screws into the lower end of the cylinder R. This plug is driven in far enough to 'leave an outer recess in the end of the pump-cylinder to be filled with sponge or wool or other equivalent packing U, which will serve to filter the air drawn through it by the action of the pump.

I contemplate filling the crank-chest A nearly to the level of the shaft F with water andy oil, the oil and the vapor from the water both serving as lubricants and the vapor itself operating to increase the efficiency of the air confined in the machine and prevent the burning of the walls of the cylinder under a dry heat. A coil T may be placed in the bottom of said crank-chest to cool the water in the chest when the condensing-surface in the upper part of the machine is not sufficiently IOO IIO

extended to work efficiently, said coil being supplied with a stream of cold water iiowing through it.

'A pressure-gage V is fitted to communicate freely with the crank-chest A to indicate the working-pressure in the machine. The crankl chest may be connected to the working-chamloer in the cylinder I by a pipe V, controlled by a stop-cock V2.

The piston C is fitted with a governor con sisting of a weight Y, mounted to play freely upon a fixed valve-rod Y2, extending` through the piston to project from its under side. Coiled springs Y3 Y3 are placed upon the rod at each end of the weight and the valve is confined between said springs by means of a nut screwing uponthe outer end of the rod.

-movement of the piston is retarded during -each stroke thereof, and the momentum of the -weight acquired by reason of a too rapid movement of the piston will sufce to cause it to move far enough to uncover and open the air-passages, and thereby allow the pressurel in the working-cylinderto findv vent through them into the crank-chest.

In the operation of this improvedmotor the statical pressure within the machine is -made to greatly exceed that of the atmosphere. This pressure is equalized within the -machine by leakage around the periphery of the working-piston C and the rod M of t-he displacing-piston, so that the pressure in the working-cylinder is the same as that in the erankechest when the machine is at rest. It will be observed that to maintain this high pressure the machine l'is so constructed as that the crank-shaft isv the only moving part which extends outward from within, and that the joint of said shaft with the sleeve through which it extends outwardly is kept air-tight by means of the curved or tapered steel washer or packing-piece seated in the shoulder of the shaft, as described, which adapts itself to any looseness of the shaft in the bearing, while the fixed joints are all made perfectly tight, aud the very pores of the metal are filled, so as not to be pervious to the contained gases.

The required pressure is obtained within the machine, first, by means of the air-pump, whose maximum efficiency in increasing the 4pressure is determined by the space left between the check-valve and the lower end of the plunger when the latter is at the end of its stroke toward the valve, and, second, by the vaporization of the water introduced in the bottom of the crank-chest. When the maximum pressure is attained, the air com- One or more apertures or air-passages a (see Fig.

pressed in the pump above its check-valve will simply expand and contract in unison with the'movement of the plunger without permitting a further inflow through ,the valve.

By letting the air escape from the head of the cylinder I through the vent-tube I as fast as the water in the crank-chest vaporizes under the heat of the machine to take its place the machine may be operated bysteam and air, and finally by steam alone.

In working the machine a combustible gas is admitted through the pipe P4 into the annular chamber P3, and from it through the orifices t t t into the lower part of the annular conduit D, surrounding the cylinders B and I. `As the gas ascends in said conduit, it 1 admixes with the air freely admitted through the ports between the lugs p p, and forms, upon the principle of the Bunsen burner, a highly-combustible compound which is ignited above the foraminous or perforated diaphragm W.

The upward flow of the currents of air and gas around the cylinders B and I serves to cool the inner end or condensing-space in the workingchamber and to keep it comparatively cool, while the intense flame above the diaphragm operates to heat the outer end of the cylinder I to a very high temperature.

This outer .end of the working-chamber constitutes, in connection with the furnace o1' burner encircling it, the heaten and the remaining portion encircled by the air-conduit D the cooler/of the machine.

Theheating of the outer end of the working-chamber operates to expand the air or gases therein, and thereby force the working piston C inward. This movement of the working-piston C will cause the displacingpiston N to move out-Ward in the cylinder just before the stroke of the working-piston is completed, and thereby force the hot expanded working-Huid in a thin annular sheet over and against the inner side of the cooler portion of the cylinder, and by reason of its condensation produce such a reduction of pressure at this point as will facilitate the outward stroke of the working-piston. The heat radiated from the walls of the cylinders I and B below the burner is rapidly taken up by the currents of air and gas passing to the burner, so that these walls are kept thereby comparatively cool to serve as an effective condensing-surface, while the heat'imparted therefrom to the currents supplying the burner is utilized and economized at the burner by increasing its efciency, the apparatus in this respect operating as a regenerative device, whereby the heat imparted to the workingiiuid at the heater is transferred therefrom and delivered up to the .condensing-surface of the cooler and from it to the iniiowing com bustible gases, which return it to the furnace. The agitation of the water in the crank-chest by the movement of the cranks serves to facilitate its vaporization, and the vapor passing up into the working-chamber greatly in- IOO IIO

creases the efficiency of the working-fluid therein. This vaporization increases as the machine and stand become heated, so that the working-pressure is automatically increased by the working of the machine until a maximum is reached.

The automatic operation of the air-pump serves to supply any loss that may occur by leakage, thus keeping the statical pressure at its maximum.

The construction of the motor with but a single working part extending outwardly from the working-chambers enables it to be run practically with a pressure of five hundred pounds or more to the square inch, the maximum pressure being, in fact, limited only by the strength of the engine,while the higher the pressure the higher will be the efficiency of the machine, and by placing the heater above the cooler not only is the shaft with its cranks and vfly-wheel kept at the base of the machine with manifest advantage, but the exhaust-heat from the burner is automatically carried off without interfering with the cooling-surface. As the force and velocity of the current drawn through the annular conduit D, encircling the working cylinder, become stronger, the capacity thereof for cooling or taking up the heat from the cylinders below the burner, as well as the intensity of the ame and its capacity for heating the cylinder above the burner, is proportionately increased with great economy of fuel.

A supply of gas may be admitted directly from a suitable supplypipe P4 without the intervention of an annular distributing-chamber P3, as described, although such a distributingechamber is productive of better results.

Instead of admitting a combustible gas at the lower end of the annular conduit encircling the working-cylinders to admix with the current of air flowing upward therein and form a combustible compound to be burned above the diaphragm W, I contemplate re placing the diaphragm by hydrocarbon-oil burners of any approved form placed within the jacket P, so that they shall be furnished with the necessary supply of air for combustion through said annular conduit, the resultant effect being the same.

By opening more or less the cock V in the pipe V, connecting the crank-chest A on one side of the working-piston directly with the cylinder I on the opposite side thereof, the movement of the motor may be checked or arrested at pleasure.

l claim as my inventionl. In anon-exhaustingthermo-dynamic motor, a working and a displacing piston, both moving in a single extended closed chamber made tight to maintain a static pressure therein exceeding that of the atmosphere, in combination with cranks coupled to said pistons and revolving in one end of the same chamber upon av shaft projecting with an air-tight joint through the wall thereof, substantially inthe manner and for the purpose herein set fOIt'll;

2. A non-exhausting thermo-dynamic motor comprising a working and a displacing piston, both moving in a single extended closed chamber made tight to maintainv a static pressure therein exceeding that of the atmosphere, cranks coupled to said pistons and revolving in one end of the same chamber upon a-shaft projecting with an air-tight joint through the wall thereof, and a body of liquid contained in said chamber to be agitated by the revolution of said cranks,whereby the workingdiuid in the chamber is charged with vapor from said liquid, substantially-in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. The combination, in a non-'exhausting thermodynamic motor, with its working and its displacing pistons, both moving in the same closed chamber, made tight to maintain a static pressure therein exceeding that of the atmosphere, and with its cranks coupled to said pistons and revolving in an extension of the same chamber upon a shaft projecting with an air-tight joint through the wall thereof, of a body of liquid contained in said chamber and an air-pump coupled to the working-piston and having its inward port covered by said liquid, whereby in the operation 0f the machine a supply of air is introduced and forced through said liquid to producea discharge of vapor therefrom within said closed chamber, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

4. The combination, in a thermo-dynamic engine, with its heater and its cooler, of an airsupply conduit formed in or upon the wall of the cooler to connect with the burner or furnace of the heater, whereby the heat radiated from the former is taken up by the current of air flowing to the latter, substantially in Athe manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

5. The combination, with the crank-shaft, in a thermo-dynamic engine, of a workingcylinder placed above said shaft, aheater at the upper end of the working-cylinder, and a passage for the supply of air to the heater formed in or upon the wall of the workingcylinder, whereby the working-cylinder is protected from the exhaust-heat escaping from the burner or furnace and is cooled by the current of air flowing thereto, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

v6. A non-exhausting thermo-dynamic motor having the upper or outer end of its working-cylinder encircled by a heating device and the remainder of said cylinder inclosed in a concentric jacket forming an encircling annular conduit through which the heating device is supplied with the air necessary to support combustion therein, whereby the one end of the cylinder is heated and the remainder cooled by the operation of the heat- IOO IIO

ing device, substantially in the vmanner and for the purpose herein set forth.

7. The combination, in anon-exhausting thermo-dynamic motor, with its working and displacing pistons and the connected cylinders in which they move, of an outer jacket of enlarged diameter inclosing said cylinders to form an encircling annular conduit open at both ends, a perforated diaphragm iitted in the upper orouter portion of said annular conduit, and a gas-supply pipe communicating with the lower end of the annular con` duit, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

8. The combination, in a non-exhausting thermo-dynamic motor, with its working and displacing pistons and the connected cylinders in which they move, of an outer jacket of enlarged diameter inclosing said cylinders to form an encircling annular conduit open at both ends, a perforated diaphragm fitted in the upper or outer portion of said annu* lar conduit, an annular chamber encircling the lower or innerend of the jacket and communicating by a series of orifices with the inclosed conduit, and a gas-supply pipe fitted to communicate with said chamber, substantially in t-he manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

9. The colnbiifation, in a non-exhausting thermo-dynamic motor,vvith the communicating piston-cylinders and crank-chest inclosing its working parts and made air-tight, of a water-receptacle included within said crankchest below the working-piston, whereby the air confined within the machine maybe automatically charged with vapor during the operation of the motor, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

l0. The combination, in a non-exhausting thermo-dynamic motor, with the communicating piston-cylinders and crank-chest inelosing its working parts and made air-tight, of a Water-receptacle included within said crankchest below the workingpiston, whereby the air coniined within the machine may be automatically charged with vapor during the operation of the motor, and a cooling device fitted in said receptacle, whereby its temperature may be lowered, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

1I. The combination, with a working-piston, in anon-exhausting thermo-dynamic engine, of the longitudinally-perforated rod eX- tending through the piston and secured thereto, the weighted governor-valve playing upon said rod to cover and uncover its ports, and the springsfitted at either end of saidvalve to control and confine its movement, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth. Y

l2. The combination, with the closed working-chamber, in a thermodynamic motor,` a bearingsleeve projecting with a tight' joint through the wall of said chamber, and a shaft projecting outwardly from said chamber through said sleeve and having a shoulder to bear against the linner end thereof, of an annular metallic packing-piece interposed upon the shaft between the shoulder and sleeve and having a beveled or rounded face to fit into a counterpart seat in the sl1oulder,where by an air-tight joint is obtained and preserved at this point, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

13.4 The combination, in a non-exhausting thermodynamic motor, with its Working-piston and the cylinder in which it moves, of the governingpipe V, through which communication is established between the spaces at the opposite ends of the piston, and the valve V', controlling said pipe to open or close it, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set fort-h.

In testimonywhereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CARL WV. WEISS.

Witnesses A. N. JEsBERA, E. M. WA'rsoN. 

